The most amazing storyline of the whole situation was not that the cigarette companies lied to the people, not that cigarettes are addictive, and not that the companies targeted children. The most amazing fact is that tobacco continues to be legally sold. The government likes their tax revenue.

I'll never forget a brief conversation I had with Merrell over 20 years ago as he stood by my desk smoking a cigarette. "Merrell, aren't you reading the same documents that I am?" He responded, "But Jerry, they say that cigarettes aren't bad for you." Go figure.

JERRY WELCH MD

Louisville 40213

A woman priest

Today, at 3 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church a significant event will take place in our city. After 26 years of doing ministry, my wife of 29 years, Mary Sue Barnett, will be ordained as a priest by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests. Following in the footsteps of her foremother priests of the early church and more recently the women known as the "Danube Seven," Mary Sue will take her place alongside these learned, compassionate and dedicated women who have set out to change the world.

Why is this significant? Mary Sue and her sister priests and deacons are beacons of light! They are enfleshed in the image of their creator as symbols for every girl or young woman who has wondered why anyone would tell her that she cannot serve as she has felt called to serve. No longer will she have to ask the question, "Why can't I be a priest?"

RICHARD BARNETT

Louisville 40242

Priorities?

Dana Milbank's column, "GOP fixated on impeachment," raises a question of just what are our legislators doing in Congress.

If they spend half of their time fundraising to get re-elected and a large portion of the rest working on projects (impeachment) that have almost no chance of success, when do they do anything to help the people they represent?

Reading the C-J it appears that we in the United States have a few other problems that need to be addressed, such as lack of or non-affordable health care, unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, failing educational system, wages so low that one cannot live on them, to name a few.

It would be refreshing if our Congress would spend some significant time addressing these problems that actually do affect the quality of life of those that they represent. There appears to be a priority problem here.

WILLIAM KUNTZ

Louisville 40206

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Letters | Big tobacco, women priests, priorities

I was saddened to read in your newspaper the passing of my old co-worker Merrell Williams. Obviously Merrell had an enormous impact on cigarette companies and their multibillion dollar settlement to